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540R
The 540R is a Radius series solid body electric guitar model introduced by Ibanez in 1987. It was made in Japan by FujiGen. The 540R was part of the Roadstar Pro series together with the 540P Power and 540S Saber models. It was initially referred to as the PRO540R. Each of the three 540 models in the Roadstar Pro line featured distinct body shapes. The "Radius" body of the 540R resembles a traditional double cutaway Fender Stratocaster shape, but with significantly more sculpted, flowing lines. The side profile has a sort of airfoil shape which is thinner at the top than the bottom. The 540R features a basswood body bolted to a maple neck with a 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dot position markers. Components include DiMarzio IBZ/USA pickups with a humbucker mounted in a pickup ring at the bridge and a pair of C1 single-coils in the neck and middle positions, a double locking tremolo bridge and Gotoh tuning machines. The style of fingerboard inlays were changed two times during the 540R's run. The initial models have smaller pearl dots. This changed somewhere around 1989 to the more standard sized pearl dots seen throughout the Ibanez line. On 1990-1992 models these dots were combined with a "Custom Made" placard inlaid at the 21st fret. Despite the implication of that term, these guitars were never available in any personalized of made-to-order form, they were standard production models. These placards could also be found on other models including the 540S and 540R-LTD. The Edge tremolo was replaced by the Lo-Pro Edge when that new bridge was released in 1991. The 540R was discontinued after 1992 in all markets except Japan; it lived on in Japan through 1994. Nevertheless the Radius body style was adopted by Joe Satrianin and it lives on with his signature models. Specifications | matfb = Rosewood | nj = Tilt Joint | neck = Ultra | scale = | nut = Top-Lok III | frets = 22 | fretsize = jumbo | bridge = 1987–1988: Edge tremolo w/ Back Stop stabilizer 1989–1991: Edge tremolo 1991–1994: Lo-Pro Edge tremolo | hw = Black | pucon = HSS | puneck = IBZ/USA C1 | pumid = IBZ/USA C1 | pubridge = IBZ/USA F1 | control = 1987: Master volume / master tone (w/ coil split) / individual mini-toggles for each pickup 1988–1992: | inlay = 1987-1989: Small pearl dot 1988-1992: Pearl dot 1990-1992: 'Custom Made' on 21st | tuners = Gotoh SG38 | tuning = | knobs = }} Controls Initial 540R models made in 1987 had individual on/off switches for each of the three pickups along with a push/pull switch on the tone pot for splitting the coils of the bridge humbucker. From 1988 this setup was replaced with a traditional 5-way pickup selector. Images Sources * 1987 PRO540 dealer sheet (page 2) * 1988 540R dealer sheet (page 2) * 1990 Europe catalog (pages 18–19) * 1992 USA catalog (pages 18–19) * 1994 Japan catalog (pages 20–21) Category:Guitar models Category:Radius models Category:Roadstar Pro models Category:HSS pickup configuration Category:New in 1987 Category:1987 models Category:1988 models Category:1989 models Category:1990 models Category:1991 models Category:1992 models Category:1993 models Category:1994 models Category:Discontinued guitar models